Burrrr, its cold out side. To cold to work out in the fields. We are in the middle of pruning off all the old growth to get ready for the spring flush. Some tea people call this a “skiff” prune but I have heard this used on large farms (Kenya) to describe a light pruning during the producing season to remove small amounts of growth (still tertiary wood) that is just a bit beyond “bud and two leaves” stage to encourage new growth. What we are doing is cutting off the secondary wood back down to the primary wood or “knuckles” or scars. It is mostly tea we just let get too old to use. Most gardens keep their growth plucked down to the knuckles and do not have to do this. I saw Chinese picking tiny leaves off what looked like a snarled piece of drift wood.
Yes, we have sold out of green tea – except for the few pounds we keep for ourselves. The demand is sky high now for green tea due to several factors. I went into a tea shop recently just to be chat’sey and saw their regular green tea which sold for $3 oz. was now $8 oz. Our green tea, which strongly favors Japanese Sencha, but not quite as fruity, has a huge following. We usually get in low supply every year but not as fast as this year. We have drive up customers (we are miles out in the country) almost everyday wanting bags of loose leaf green. I am sorry I can not supply the tea drinking community with green tea.
We still are doing tea farm tours except during bad weather or if I just want to lay on the couch. A couple weeks ago we were riding around the tea bushes when a lady threw herself out of the cart onto the ground. My first thought was a terrible accident but then realized she saw a tiny spider crawl under the golf cart seat then walked back to her car. It wasn’t a few weeks ago a peacock impolitely pooped by the gate to my patio area (before I could clean it up) where we sample teas. She would not just step around it and come inside the gate. Another lady was afraid of “bird feet” and another would not go into the tea field because she “might see a snake!” …or a bug! If you are this nature dysfunctional then our farm tour may not be a good choice for you. This is a real farm out in the country close to large bodies of water and swamps and we are lucky to regularly see all sorts of wildlife. We even have a few Bald Eagles that frequently fly by. It is a good place for bird-watchers!
Also, small children are not interested in tea culture or processing. They do not often enjoy my discussion of how we grow and make our teas. Also dogs are ok, but most want to chase our many peacocks and often disrupt our tea discussion. You can bring them but they can be distracting.
I have been surprised at how many of my tea books have sold here at the farm and on Amazon. “The Grandfather of American Tea: my tea story,” ISBN:978-1-961485-83-9. This has not been out a year and I have received very good compliments from all over the world. A man from Poland last week wanted tea bags! They have said “the unique way you approach the subject is refreshing, you are not promoting a commercial product like anyone else, you have done the work and giving your life long knowledge to the world, Mr. Barrett I’ve never heard this before” kind of things. I squirmed when I published it but feel good about it now.
We are coming to the end of tea seedling season. We have sold over 7000 plants this year and helped several folks get into the tea making business. For free I will tell them how to plant and grow them and those who follow my instructions are quite successful. I have had several to insist they were master gardeners (tea culture is forestry and not gardening) and loose some plants but most are happy with their new tea farms. I wish I kept records over the past 25 years to who I gave plants.
Call or text for an appointment (251-209-3089) and come see us. You will be entertained!
Donnie Barrett
Fairhope Tea Farmer